Channel 4 seeks creative talent in Sunderland

Channel 4 has announced it will be holding a national talent search, called Channel 4 Pop Up, at the National Glass Centre next month.

Taking place on Thursday, November 1, the initiative has been set up to attract diverse groups of young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds right across the UK to a career in the media.

The day will include workshops, networking, challenges and the chance for young people to meet industry specialists.

The Channel 4 Pop Up programme is looking to find people aged 16 to 24 who may not be sure if a career in the media is for them – or those with creative talents but with no identifiable route into the industry.

It also aims to tackle the increasing skills gaps within the creative industries as well as the growth in ‘bedroom creatives’.

Channel 4 Pop Up events aim to provide sustainable career opportunities and career progression for young people from the surrounding areas.

Each event will provide networking opportunities with local creative industries and skills workshops designed to improve attendees’ employability in TV and film – all leading towards industry work experience opportunities.

Now in its fourth year, the Pop Ups have visited 18 cities across the UK and are heading to Sunderland and Nottingham to wrap up their 2018 road show.

At each Channel 4 Pop Up event, details of an annual industry related challenge will ‘Pop Up’ to encourage young people to compete to win a visit to Channel 4 Head Office.

The ultimate ambition will be to create a Pop-Up alumni that will connect diverse entry talent to the industry whilst providing virtual networking opportunities for young people across the UK.

Channel 4’s 4Talent team has partnered with specialist agency MyKindaFuture to work with local creative companies, public services, social support partners and charity organisations to proactively seek groups of diverse young talent to participate in the C4 Pop-Up programme.

Laura Boswell, industry talent specialist at Channel 4, said: “The Channel 4 Pop Ups really help to cement our core values with young people – that Channel 4 is an inclusive place to work, where we welcome diversity, new ideas and alternative points of view.

"The Pop Ups enable Channel 4 to delve deeper into a variety of communities across the UK, searching for hidden talent and the ‘unusual suspects’, connecting with people who may not have considered a career in the media industry before.

"Channel 4’s 360° Diversity Charter was put in place to broaden representation at all levels across the media industry; 4Talent works hard to create a pipeline of young people, so there is a constant flow of diverse talent entering and developing within the sector.”

William Akerman, founder and MD of MyKindaFuture, said: "MyKindaFuture are incredibly proud to partner with Channel 4 for the 4th year, running Channel 4 Pop Ups.

"The initiative will engage young people in Nottingham and Sunderland through face to face activity, combining Channel 4’s expertise and MyKindaFuture’s networks.

"Together we’ll be able to impact the lives of those young people who don’t have access to careers networks that their peers do, and in doing so, we can really start to level the playing field across the UK.

"So far, we have been able to empower over 2,300 young people with Channel 4 Pop Ups.

"I look forward to empowering even more young people in November and helping them to realise the careers available to them in the media industry, and from them to really find their full potential.”

Applications are now open to attend the Channel 4 Pop Up at the National Glass Centre via https://jobs.channel4.com/pages/event_apply.aspx?preview=preview&jobId=4929&Type=3